Helping Foxes
by Jupanuma
Summary: Thaila runs away from home, only to find herself helping out a fox in need. From this simple act, she is granted a wish from an unsuspecting visitor. Her wish "I want my brother to be safe." As Jason grows up, something or someone, is always around to protect him. Now a sophomore in high school, with he finally meet his guardian angel? (Angel AU)
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

A child, only eleven years old in age, just starting to learn how the world worked, was running through the woods. Her self-chopped black hair whipped through the air while her dirty pink shirt and blue jeans hung loosely off her thine frame. Her green backpack had a broken strap and she had blood dripping from fresh cuts. She was trying to find a place to crash for the night. A cave, a tight group of trees – anything to keep the night air, monsters, and the cold winds away.

Night almost upon her when she spotted a small, red-brown bundle laying on the ground. Curiosity got the better of her and with a closer she saw a fox licking a wound in its hind leg. It didn't look like it could move, let alone protect its self, at this moment. Keeping her hands up, she stepped closer, showing she meant no harm to the poor animal. It growled once, before going back to cleaning the wound. Looking up, she noticed a small shine looking thing, big enough to house the small animal and herself. Murmuring encouraging words along the lines "its okay, I'm going to help you" she picked the fox up and made her way to the shrine.

The first thing she noticed was the warm air inside. It was too dark to see farther than her out stretched arm so she quickly set the fox down in the middle of the floor before reaching to grab her backpack. Taking out bandages, she quickly wrapping her wounds up, before it became too dark to even see anything. Soon after, she fell asleep curled into the other, while the animal kept watch.

Morning came all too quickly. She woke up in a warm and dry place, something that has not happened in a while. She took in her surroundings, polished marble walls and wooden floors without rot or dust covering the surface. The shrine she remembered, a well-kept one too. She looks over to see the fox still curled around her, keeping her warmer then she has been in months. It had its eyes closed, but she doubt it was sleeping. Slowly getting up, she made her way to leave the shrine, and let the fox recover on his own, when its ears twitched towards the entrance.

Seconds later a male voice, neither menacing nor kind, broke the forest silence. "I was looking for where you ran off to." She turns her head to study the short, dark figure. The fox whims a little, making her focus back to the fox instead.

'BIG MISTAKE!' her head screamed at her as she whirls back around to stare back to the figure, only to find he didn't move. That confuses her. "I mean you no harm." He says, stepping into the shrine for her to get a better look at him.

He has messy black hair and pale skin, like he hasn't seen the light of day in a few years, with dark, piercing eyes that boarded into her soul. The strangest part of him was the giant black wings jetting out of his back.

He sits down crossed legged, leaning on the wall, cocking his head to the side. "You helped him." It was a statement. She nods, not daring to open her mouth, for fear of saying something wrong. "Very few would help a wounded animal, rarer still, one that was a runaway."

The fox slowly walks over to the boy. His eyes follows the creature. The boy lets the animal sit next to him with its head in his lap, petting its head soon after. "Thank you, for helping my friend." He looks back up to her. "He likes to run off sometimes. I was looking for him when he didn't come back home one the sun went down."

Silence falls over the two of them, the girl not knowing if it was a good idea to break it while the other finds comfort in it. Finally, the boy stands, making the fox stand up too, and walks closer to her. "To say thank you for helping him, I would like to grant you a wish. Whatever you want."

She licks her lips. She could ask for food, a place to finally be safe in, to not have to be on the run anymore. She opens her mouth, before closing it quickly. Looking down at the floor, not wanting to meet the boy's gaze anymore, she opened her mouth once more. "I want my brother to be safe."

The boy nods. "Alright. I can grant the wish. I will be the one to protect him, for as long as he needed protecting, or until he, himself, tells me he doesn't need me anymore. But know that if the Fates have deemed it is his time to depart from this word, that I would be unable to stop that. Do you still want this to be your wish knowing this?"

She nods. "Yes."

The boy smiles for the first time since being there. "You are truly selfless. I will grant you this wish. I will also appear from time to time, letting you know how he's doing."

"Thank you." The boy stands and starts walking to the entrance, but stops right before stepping outside. "Oh, one more thing. Here." He's pulls out a knife from around his belt. "To hunt or protect yourself when you needed it." He gives her the weapon, before stepping back. "Also, you will soon find a companion to help you out." He was back at the doorway, stopping once more. "I never got your brother's name."

"Jason Grace."

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 **This will not be updated regularly like my other multi-chapter works.**


	2. Chapter 2

**As I have nothing planned or written as a Halloween fic, my treat to you in another chapter.**

* * *

The first time the angel needs to protect Jason, was when he was five. Jason, with wavy blond hair, electric blue eyes, and chubby checks, was playing with a blue bouncy ball in the front yard, of a massive house.

The ball slipped from his tiny fingers, and bounced into the road. Not many cars drive down it, so Jason didn't worry about looking before crossing the street, like his nanny told him to. He stepped out into the middle of the road to grab the ball.

Turning around to walk back when he notices a car zooming down the road, with no sense of stopping. Fear froze little Jason in place. The car was about to hit him, he could only make out the license plate now, when something scooped him up. Next thing he know, he's back in the lawn with the ball next to him and the car zooming passed. Jason looked around for his savior, only to see a red, fluffy tail dart around the rose bushes.

* * *

Jason wasn't small for a 5th grader, but he wasn't big either. One day, a group of 6th grades guys, walked up to little Jason during his lunch. The formed a circle around him, he held his lunch box full of food close to his body. One guy, knocked the food to the floor, another pushed Jason into somebody. The circle got tighter, as they pushed and pulled him around.

Finally the leader of the group stepped up, making the others stop. "I know you have money. Give to me."

"No." Jason said standing tall. The older guy smiled sadly at first, before it turned into one like a shark. Before Jason could even move, a fist meet his stomach. The beating didn't stop right away. "I will say again. Give me your money." This time Jason slowly reaches into his pocket to take out the money his mom gave him. The older boy snatched it up. "Tomorrow you will give me more money and lunch." He said before punching Jason once more and walking away.

The next day Jason did bring the money and extra lunch, but when the older boys came around they cowered in fear. Jason didn't know why, but shrugged it off like little kids do.

What Jason didn't know was, the angel made a special visit to each and every one of the boy later that day. They each experienced darkness inking its way from the corners of the room, ghosts swirling, wailing noises filling the airs. All of them cowering in fear. Out from the darkness came the angel. In a dark, quiet voice that could barely be heard over the wailing, "You will leave the boy you bullied today alone or else." Some were brave enough to ask or else what. They were the ones that got plagued with nightmares filled with pain, both physical and mental, and horrors they couldn't describe. Their own personal hell.

* * *

In the middle of 8th grade, the young Jason Grace was staying out late. Rebelling against his mom for not caring and being around. Now that Jason thought about it, it might not have been the best idea to be out and about at night without some type of weapon.

He was going to head home, when he ran into someone. A big, buff somebody. "Sorry." Jason mumbles before walking around him, hoping to not cause trouble. The other guy didn't get the memo though. He grabbed Jason by the shoulder, and spun him around.

If the scar running down the guy face wasn't scary enough, his eyes were like predators that was about to kill it's pray. The older guy moved one hand from Jason's shoulder, down the front of his body. Before he could touch Jason more, another hand came out of the darkness and stopped the attacker.

"Let go of him." The new person said, in a deep voice. The predator smirked, showing a row of disgusting teeth. Shoving Jason to the side, the predator man reached into a pocket and brought out a knife. The new person didn't seemed scared or threatened at all. This frustrated the attacker, making him run at the other. Jason yelled at his protector to get out of the way. The protector side stepped at the last second, grabbed the outstretched arm with both hands, before ramming his knee into it braking the bone. The knife fell to the ground and the guy howled in pain.

The new person, a boy, turned towards Jason. "Go home. Don't stop of anything. Head straight home."

"But-"

"No. Go home." Jason was about to try to argue again, but the glare the boy gave him stopped him in his traces. Jason got up, and ran home, not stopping for anything, just like the boy told him.

* * *

Jason never forgot that faithful encounter. He was grateful to the boy that saved him, and taught him that he needed to learn to be able to protect himself and others. He started to go to the gym. Whenever he went out, or knew he was going to stay out late after school, Jason always had a pocket knife with him.

By 10th grade, Jason was tall, and well build. As a freshmen, most people get bulled by the upper grades. No one in their right mind picked Jason to bully.

Throughout the school year, Jason became popular. He got onto the football team, and part of the student counsel. It wasn't till about half way through the year that something happened.

School ended a few hours ago, student council was just getting out. Jason was at his locker, when he heard yelling. His curiosity got the better of him, and he went to go see what the noise was about. As he got closer, he could start making out some of the things they said. "Got back to hell. No one wants you here." Jason ran the rest of the way, only to see a group of four beating up someone that was curled into a ball on the floor.

"Hey! Leave them alone!" The group turned around to face Jason, before looking at each other and running away. The poor person was still on the floor, at least sitting up this time, shacking and bleeding. Jason walks over to the other. "You okay?"

The other doesn't say anything, but shakily stands up and started heading for the bathroom. Jason follows, both of them heading into the male one. 'So it's a guy' Jason thought and the door closes behind them.

Now that Jason was getting a better look, the other guy had black hair that covered his face, pale skin that was covered in black and blue bruises. Long fingers turned the water on, so he could wash the blood off his face. Once he looked up, Jason say that his eyes were as dark as night.

"You okay?" Jason asks again, hoping the guy would answer this time. To his luck the other nodded his head, and headed out of the rest room without saying anything else. Again Jason follows, this time to the other's locker. His backpack is black, just like his clothes. "My name is Jason Grace." He says, sticking his hand out for the other to shake it. He looks at it for a second before ignoring it. "I know who you are." The other replied in a quiet voice. Jason licks his lips, retracting his hand. "What's your name?"

"Nico." He said just as quietly before walking away, leaving Jason by the lockers.

* * *

 **I have no more chapters written, and have no ideas right now. If you have any please let me know.**


	3. Chapter 3

Throughout the week Jason kept an eye out for Nico. He wanted to make sure the guy was okay after getting beat up. "Who are you looking for?" Piper finally asked after the tenth time Jason looked around in the past hour.

"Mh?" Jason hummed as he turned back to look at the ever changing eyes of the smaller girl. "Oh, just someone how got beat up pretty badly. I want to make sure he's okay." Jason said after Piper repeated her question.

"And that would be …?" Leo asked, not really paying attention to them. He was building some sort of launcher for what Jason could make out.  
"He said his name was Nico, but didn't give me a last name." Both Piper and Leo looked at each other. They seemed to have a silent conversation between them. Jason raised an eyebrow once Leo looked over at him. "Is he on the short side, and was wearing all black?" Leo asked, and sighed when Jason nodded. "People call him Ghost King. He gives off this scary aura like his going to kill you, and him looking like he a zombie-serial killer doesn't help that."

"I heard he's been seem around talking to nothing." Piper cuts in. Leo glares at her before looking back at Jason and continuing.

"If I were you, I would stay away from him. Nothing good would come out of being around him."

"Thanks for your concern Leo, but I just want to make sure his okay. He was getting beat up pretty badly." Leo just shrugged, almost like he was saying 'Your funeral'.

It wasn't until Friday a few hours after school was let out that Jason say him again. This time he was thankfully not becoming a punching bag. Nico was leaning on the same wall Jason last say him at, gladding at his phone in his hand. Jason watched the smaller guy type something quickly before outing the phone into his jacket pocket. Nico was getting up and was about to walk away when Jason called his name. "Nico, wait!" Nico looked over at the blond, but didn't say anything. Jason quickly made his way over. "Hey." Jason said.

Nico just lifted an eyebrow waiting for him to continue, not bothering to say anything at all. "I um … I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Again Nico said nothing. Jason was about to repeat himself when Nico finally sighed. "Leave me alone."

Before Jason could say anything else, Nico picks up his bag, that Jason just noticed was next to him, and walked away. Jason stood there frozen for a few seconds not sure if he should follow or just leave the other guy alone. Instead Jason told himself that he would try talking to Nico next time he saw him, and went home too.


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter is more about Thalia and what she has been up to then Jason, but I feel like its important to knew whats going on with her also.**

 **Sorry it took so long to get the chapter out. Didn't really have time to write something until now.**

* * *

 _After the angel or whatever it was, Thalia soon was on her way with the knife strapped to her belt. She didn't run into anymore humanoid looking things a few days later, but she didn't let her guard down. If anything the encounter both helped ease her mind and put her on edge. She was glad that someone could protect her two-year-old brother where she was not about to, but she also didn't like the sound of someone else protecting him either. It was her job. Still she didn't regret her wish nor want to change it to something that could help her._

 _About a week or so later she finally came across a small town. She was both relieved and scared. On one hand she can finally find something decent to eat without having it weeks old, finding it in the forest, or killing some small animal. On the other it could mean someone might recognize her if her mom had a search for her going, and make her go back. Thalia waited until nightfall before heading into town._

 _It was quiet at night. The opposite of where she grew up. She found it peaceful. She closed her eyes just for a few minutes, letting the silence fill her. When Thalia opened her eyes, her gaze fell onto blue eyes looking right back at her. She jumped back and pulled the knife out, pointing it out in front of her. Now that she was armed, she took a closer look at who was in front of her._

 _It was a young man a few years older than her, maybe 14 or 15 years of age, shaggy blond hair, the piercing blue eyes, clothes as worm down as hers, and the most shocking thing about him was the scar running down his otherwise perfect face. He wasn't armed either. Instead he slowly lifted his arms up palms facing her to show he didn't mean her any harm. Thalia narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"_

 _"_ _To see if you needed any help." The males voice was low, almost a whisper, like he didn't want to wake anyone up. Thalia looked around to make sure no one else was there lurking in the shadows with them._

 _"_ _Why would I need any help?" Her harsh voice made him flinch? Or maybe Thalia was just imagining it._

 _"_ _Because you look like you have been living on the street by yourself for a while, and I know you aren't from around here. So you probably don't know where to find any good food and even if you did, not without waking someone up." The male had a good point. In the few minutes she has been in the town she hasn't found anything good to eat. A few left over apple cores, moldy bread, a sandwich a rat was chewing on, and a bunch of wrapper that she would have to lick to get anything off but wouldn't help getting rid of the hunger let alone actually fill her up. "What would you want in return?" She asked._

 _"_ _What do you mean?" The male raised an eyebrow, but otherwise stayed still._

 _"_ _No one helps someone else out without getting something in return. What do you want?"_

 _The male shrugged. "Nothing much. Just to come with you to whatever adventure you are looking for."_

 _"_ _Why do you think I'm on an adventure and not just homeless?"_

 _"_ _I've lived in this town my whole life. I know everyone in it. You have never been here before tonight. And the way your cloths not only look ruined but is also covered in dirt tells me you came from the forest. Meaning adventure. Let me come with you, and I will help get anything you need before we leave." Thalia stood very still. If this boy could tell all that just by seeing her for a few minutes she knew she wouldn't be able to stay out of sight long. Slowly she lowered the knife. "Fine."_

 _"_ _Great." The guy smiled at her. It lighted his face up, that she didn't notice before just how dark it actually was. He put his hands together, before turning around and walking away. Thalia quickly followed. "Luke." The guy next to her said after they walked in silence for a few minutes. "That's my name." He added once she looked over at him questioning._

 _"_ _Thalia" She said back._

 _"_ _It's nice to meet you."_

 _"_ _Same. Now are you going to tell me where we are going to get food?" Her stomach started to really bother her. She was so hungry._

 _"_ _No one's home right now, so I thought you could eat something warm while I pack." She nodded hoping that what he said was true. They got to the house quickly, and to Thalia's surprise no one was home. Luke opened the door and pushed her into the kitchen before making a bowl of soup. Just as Luke said he quickly packed a backpack full of cloths, food that wouldn't go bad quickly, a flashlight, and a first aid kit, while Thalia ate the soup. It not only warmed her up, but filled her up too. She hasn't felt this full since she left. It was nice._

 _Once she was done, Thalia quickly washed her face, and off they went. Thalia questioned if bringing Luke with her was the best idea at the time, but she never looked back._

(Line Break)

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Thalia looked up to see Luke standing with his arms crossed over his chest leaning against the door frame.

"Just the past. How we meet." Thalia replied as she got up from the rickety bed and walked over to Luke.

He raised an eyebrow, just like he always did when something didn't entirely make sense to him. "Why?"

"Isn't the brother report a little late?" She asked him instead of answering. She knew Luke would figure out what she's getting at without having to spell it out.

Luke looks up at the falling apart ceiling. "Now that you mention it, it is. Are you worried?"

"I'm not sure. It's not the first time he hasn't sent a report on time, and I doubt it would be the last. But I've been thinking that he must be in high school by now. I feel like I missed so much of his life even with all the reports we get. I kind of wish I took him with me. But I doubt I would have meet you, or even lived long enough to get to the town if I did." Luke raps his arms around her, and she puts her head onto his shoulder. "I don't regret meeting you, and I don't regret someone – something – watch Jason for me, I regret not bring in his life, not being able to see him grow up, not even trying to bring him with me." Tears were starting to come to Thalia's eyes. She willed them not to fall. She had to be stronger than that.

Before Luke could say anything to her, a yipping like noise catches their ears. Thalia lifts her head and Luke turns around. In front of them sat a red fox with a letter in front of his paws. It picks up the letter and walks over to them. Thalia takes it out of its mouth. "Thanks." She said smiling. The fox yipped once more before turning around running off.

At first Thalia was angry that the guy who said he would protect Jason didn't give her an update on him, himself, but she understood that the angel couldn't always make house calls. More often than not a fox would bring a letter to her telling her how Jason was doing. On the rare occasions the angel did show himself, he never stayed long. As soon as they took their eyes off him, he was gone.

Thalia opened the letter without damaging it. There wasn't much written this time, but she smiled anyway. Luke read over her shoulder having a soft smile of his own. Once they were done reading she quickly put it into the notebook they shared before stuffing it back into Luke's backpack. "Ready to head to work?" Luke asked once she was standing up again.

"Yeah" They walked outside. They might not have a great life, they had to fight for a lot, but it was a nice life. Outside they meet up with Annabeth, anyone run away. She was a few years younger than both of them, but she was family.

Inside the old abandoned house, sitting in a ratty, fraying backpack, covered in new notebook paper, sat all the letters about Jason. Each one in the best condition as she could keep them, never throwing any other them out. The newest one white compared to the yellowing and dirt stand others read: _"Jason's first day of high school went well. Nobody bullied him. He's on the football team and student council. He made two good friend. Recently he stopped other kids from betting you some younger kid."_

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 **Not sure which story will be updated next, this one or Talking Your Time. Also not entirely sure when I will update next will be either, so just be on the look out for either of them.**


	5. Chapter 5

Jason just got home after a long day at school. It didn't seem like anyone else was home, not like he was expecting anyone to be. His mom was almost never home these days, mostly spending her time either at work or some type of bar, while his dad worked almost 24/7 as the founder and head of a big corporation called Olympus. It didn't bother Jason anymore that no one was home. It did when he was in elementary school and only had nannies looking after him more often than not.

He put his backpack next to the kitchen table, so when he started working on homework he didn't have to go far to get it, and headed up into the attic. Jason didn't think his parents knew he went into the attic almost every day.

 _When he first went up, he found boxes and boxes of old and new family stuff. Most of it covered in dust, but in one of the boxes Jason looked into, he found a bunch of girls toys. And not just any type of girls toys, these ones looked new, some you could even find in stores. As soon as Jason saw them, he questioned why they even had them. He didn't know of any young girl in his family. He was an old child, his mothers' family didn't have any kids, while his fathers' family only had a boy. It wasn't until Jason opened another box that he got his answer._

 _Inside was little girl's cloths while a scrapbook sitting on top. Jason picked up the book and opened it. The first photo was of an x-ray of someone's belly with a little baby growing inside. Under the photo in nice handwriting was a caption, "First born baby is going to be a girl." It took a while up Jason figured out that it was in his father's handwriting._

 _"_ _So I had a sister?" Jason questioned quickly as he flipped through the book. As the book went on, he saw more pictures of his sister; some from when she was first born, her first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth birthdays, her holding Jason when he first came home, her seventh birthday with her putting frosting on Jason's face, them growing up together. Jason must have been about three or four when the photos stopped even though the book still had pages left to be filled._

Since that day, Jason went up into the attic to try to learn more about his mysterious sister and what happened to her. So far he learned her name was Thalia, and something must have happened to her when she was about 11 or 12. He looked online as soon as he learned her name to see if she had dead, he hoped not but considering his family never even mentioned her it was likely, and was relieved, if not a little confused, when nothing came up. "Why have I never heard of her from them." Jason questioned allowed to himself when no one was home.

Today, Jason was going to look through another box, hoping to find anything on her, before starting on his homework. Lucky must have been on his side before he found a few drawing she must have done when Thalia was a little kid. The paper yellow, bug eating and torn in some places from time and not being placed in something. It had a crayon picture of when Jason assumed was of her, both of their parents and him standing next to a tree, the sky colored yellow. They all had giant smiles on their faces. Everything was in bright colors except a spot next to his mother's feet. It was too hard to make out because of how poorly kept it was. If Jason had to guess, he would say that whatever the dark sport was, was the reason Thalia left.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day, Jason meet up with Leo and Piper at the front of the school. They talked about trivial things, that Jason only half listened to. He was more focused on finding Nico. He still never got an answer as to if he was alright, if they were still bullying him. If so Jason wanted to be the one to help, because it didn't seem like anyone else was going to.

Just as Jason was about to give up finding Nico, he saw the younger guy sitting under a tree. It seemed like the shadows from it was slowly swallowing Nico up. Jason excused himself from his friends before making his way over. "Hey." He said once he was standing in front of the other. Nico didn't look up, but instead was still reading a book that Jason didn't see until he was standing over him. Not bothered by the lack of response Jason continued, "I just wanted to make sure you weren't still being bullied." Still nothing from the younger guy. Instead Nico flipped a page and kept reading. "Because if so, I can go with you to talk to the principle, and have everything sorted out."

Finally, Nico slowly closed the book and looked up, glaring at the blond. "It's none of your business if I am being bullied. I don't need nor want your help. As you can see I want to be alone, so I can finish this book." At that, Nico held up the store he was reading. Jason only got a glimpse of the cover, but it looked like a book on some type of mythology. Nico reopened the book and started reading again.

Seeing as he overstayed his welcome, Jason slowly walked back towards the school and to his classroom. Just as he was sitting down at his desk, Jason promised himself that he would do anything to get Nico to be his friend. With that determination, Jason opened his notebook, ready for class to start.

Once class was over, Jason keep a lookout for any sign of Nico. Any change he got, he would go up to the younger guy and talk to him, even if it was just to say hello before he had to rush off to his next class. By the end of the day, Jason felt like he was making some progress. Nico didn't ignore him completely by the end of the day. He even said hello back.

As Jason walked home, he made a goal to get Nico to say more than just a greeting to him tomorrow.

* * *

This is still up for adoption if anyone is interested, but until someone does and I have inspiration, I will try to work on it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for another short chapter. I finally had an idea of what to do next. Hopefully you like it.**

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Standing in front of a small house was a shadowy figure with massive wings. Nothing was going on at the house right now. The resident just went to sleep, but the figure didn't move. He wouldn't leave until he was told by the resident.

Most nights, felt like they dragged on, but tonight the figure was waiting for someone. Around one, a red fox with piercing sea green eyes, slinked over to the figure. The figure glanced over before speaking. "Hey, thanks for delivering the letter." The figure had a teenage male voice.

The fox looked at him before slowly changing form. Instead of a fox. now stood a young man in his early twenties. "You know you should be delivering them yourself." He said as he put his hands into his pants pocket.

The younger male sighed. "Must we always have this conversation Will? I told her I would watch over her brother and send updated every so often. I never told her I would send them myself. If I did, how do you expect me to watch over him them?"

Will shrugged. "He's not a kid anymore. He doesn't get into trouble since he was out of middle school. You don't have to watch him 24/7. Take a break. Annabeth or I can watch him for you, just like we did when he was five. Remember that one time when …"

The teenage cut him off. "Will, I'm glad for the offer, but I want to do this myself."

Will was silent for a long time. Softly he said, "You've really starting to caring for him."

"… Yeah."

Will turned and looking the younger one in the eye. "I don't want you to get hurt when …"

"I know!" He replied harshly while cutting Will off again. "I know." He said again, but this time quieter. "I never planned on staying forever, never planning on him knowing I was here, never ... never planning to get to know him."

Silence feel upon the two again. "Why did you decided to go to school with him?" Minutes passed without the teenager replying. Will sighed. "When you have an answer, you know where to find me." Then Will changed back into a fox and ran into a neighboring houses backyard and disappeared. Sighing the teenager turned back to the house and watched.


	8. Chapter 8

Jason was walking to school when he heard a rustling. Looking around to see where the sound came from, Jason saw a bush moving. Curious, he walked closer to see what was making it move. Before he could crouch down all the way, a large object shoot out from the plant and into Jason's face, knocking him over onto his butt. Jason quickly brings his hands to his face, trying to get whatever is clawing at him off. He gets a hand under what feels like a fur belly and push the creature away, just enough to make out a very angry gray cat before it's back attacking him. Jason thinks to try rolling onto his side, hoping to dislodge the cat that way, when he hears a new noise coming from his left. A deep growl. Then a heavier weight hits the two of them, knocking the cat off and pushing him onto his side. He takes a deep breath. Slowly, he starts crawls away, hoping not to have the cat attack him again. Once Jason feels like he is safe enough away, he looks over to see who saved him. A red fox was fighting the hissing fur ball. He just couldn't believe his eyes. A fox. Saved him. How was that even real? Was he having some type of nightmare?

"You okay?" Someone asked behind Jason. He turned around and saw Nico standing there with his hands in his jacket pocket looking at the two animals fight.

"… Yeah." Nico finally looked away from the fight and turned his eyes towards the blond hair boy. "Do you live around here?" Nico raised an eyebrow at Jason's question. "It's just … I've never seen you walk this was to school."

Nico doesn't answer right away. Jason doesn't expect an answer when Nico finally said, "No."

"Then … what are you doing here?"

This time, Nico just turns from the blond and heads towards the school. Jason quickly gets up. Before he leaves the scene, he looks towards the animals to see the cat is no longer there and the fox watching the two people leave. The blond didn't even realize the fighting stopped. He's wasn't sure if he saw a knowing look from the red animal or if it was just his imagination right before it runs away. The blond runs after Nico, without thinking much about it.

* * *

"What the hell happened to your face?" Leo asked as soon as he say Jason walk over to him and Piper. The blond touched him face lightly before wincing, and looking away.

"Is it really that bad?"

"Bad?" Piper walked closer. Taking Jason's hand away from his face to see that extent of the injuries. "It looks like you were mulled by an animal."

He grimaced at that. "… Yeah."

"By what?"

"…"

"Come on Jason." Piper crossed her arms, waiting for an answer. Leo was messing around with something in his hands. Jason couldn't tell what it was.

"… A cat." He mumbled.

"A cat." Leo paused at what he was doing to look up at the blond with wide eyes before laughing. "HEY! It's not funny!"

Leo puts his hands up. "Sorry, sorry," he tries to stop the laughter but only manage to giggle every few seconds.

Jason starts to pout and look away. "I need to clean out these cuts, so I'll see you guys in class," he says.

"Okay!" Leo yelled with a huge smile on his face, before walking off.

"See you soon." Piper followed the Latino. Jason went and got cleaned up before heading to class.

* * *

The day went from weird to strange as soon as lunch rolled around. Jason gets to the cafeteria and starts to head over to the table they normally start at, only to see someone else already there. Normally, Piper and Leo must wait in line to buy their lunch while Jason goes to the table and saves it for them, because he brings his lunch. Now, Jason sees a small dark-haired boy with black clothes sitting in one of the chairs. Not only is it odd to see Nico in the lunchroom, but stranger still to see the male eat.

Hearing Piper and Leo talking to one another, the blond turns around hoping he's not imagining the scene in front of him. "Why haven't you sat down yet, Jay?" Piper asks once they notice him standing around.

"Um …" Jason waves his hand towards their table. Leo and Piper look around the blond to see what is going on, only to be shocked also. 'So, I wasn't losing my mind.' Jason though. Before they would decide if they should go and sit with the dark-haired boy, a loud commotion came from the hallway.

Jason turned to see what was going on, only to see a few people run into the cafeteria. Next thing he knows, gun shots are firing. Screams, fill the room. Slowly a lone figure with a machine gun. In walked … "Octavian?" Jason asks, started that someone from the student council would be shooting kids.

Octavian looks over at the blond before bringing the gun up and firing. Jason blinks his eyes and falls back hitting his head on the floor. The only pain he felt was when his head hit the floor. Jason opens his eyes, and looks at himself to see where he got hit, but instead of seeing any wounds on him, he sees a dark-haired boy laying in a pool of blood in front of him. "Nico." Jason whispers. "No."

Nothing else matters. No sounds or sights come to Jason, as he pushes himself onto his hands and knees, crawling over to the fallen boy. Getting to Nico, Jason rolls him over onto his back. "Hang on. You'll be okay." Jason says.

Nico's eyes cloud over, but a smile pulls at his lips. "I'm fine. Just make sure you stay safe until the police comes." He's words are whispered, and slowly become nonexistent as he speaks.

Jason leans down and lightly brushes his lips against the other. "I will." He says, tears falling onto the others face.

* * *

School was closed for a week after the shooting. Jason tried to move on, but it was hard, knowing the one you wanted to be closer to died saving you. It also didn't help that his friends both got seriously hurt too. Piper with a broken leg and a bullet to the shoulder, while Leo got two shots to the chest and one in the stomach.

Soon, Jason graduated and went to college. He wanted to become a criminal investigator. He wanted to save people from what happened to his school, and hopefully find his sister. He never forgot about Nico. Jason visited his grave once a month or so, letting the younger man know what was going on in his life. He tried dating a few others as the years went on, but nothing felt right.

What he didn't know was an angel was still watching over him. An angel by the name of Nico. Whenever the blond got into trouble, Nico would send one of his foxes to help the blond out. He could never show his face to Jason again, not until the blond dead. "Are you sad that you can never be with him?" Will asked one day, after saving Jason from getting mugged.

Nico didn't answer, only having a melancholy smile. Nico still sent letters, and even visited Thalia sometimes, on what was happening to her brother. Until one day, when she got caught by a blond-haired officer. After that, she didn't need updates.

* * *

 **Not how I envisioned this to end, but I was done writing this. After chapter 2 or 3, I was fighting with this the whole time. I had no ideas that really came to me, or even where I wanted this to go. Glad I finished it though.**


End file.
